White Castle will not offer ‘fine dining’ on Valentine’s Day

White Castle’s Love has been cancelled. Thank you very much, Omicron.

A special dining-in experience for lovesick couples who wish to commemorate their special day with $1 burgers and french fries has long been offered at the burger chain’s locations in several markets on February 14th.

Instead of its regular no-frills tiled flooring and blue-and-white tables and chairs, White Castle used to add a few romantic touches to its restaurants, transforming them into “fine dining” rooms with reservations, hostess seating, tableside service, and plenty of festive red décor. According to the company, up to 30,000 people visited participating regional areas in 2018.

However, due to the extremely contagious Omicron outbreak, White Castle said on Tuesday that it will not be participating in the event this year.

In a statement, the company said, “It was a difficult decision for the 101-year-old family business, which has been celebrating Valentine’s Day with its customers since 1991.”

“We had hoped to take reservations this year, but out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of our customers and team members, we decided the best thing to do is shift our focus to an experience that customers can take with them,” said Jamie Richardson, vice president of White Castle.

Last year, White Castle made a socially distancing change to the Valentine’s Day celebration. Customers could book a parking spot and receive car-side service instead of eating inside.

However, the corporation isn’t completely ignoring the day. With a bright pink “Love Cube” lunch package, White Castle is making it a to-go celebration.

The dinner for two includes eight cheese sliders, two small soft drinks, and a choice of two sharing sides (which can be delivered for free on Valentine’s Day through White Castle’s delivery partners on all orders $15 and over). The dinner will set you back around $15.